Apparatus for drying and heating sand.



I Patented Doc. 23, I902. W. CrMcELHENY.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING SAND.

(Application filed Dec. 19. 1901.

(No Model.)

Ira/enter".

V fitter/ gas ATnN OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. MCELI-IENY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND HEATING SAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,462, dated December23, 1902.

Application filed December 19,1901. Serial No. 86,568. (No model- ToctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. MoELHENY, a resident of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have in-' Vented a new anduseful Improvement in Apparatus for Drying and Heating Sand; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to drying and heating apparatus, and moreespecially to apparatus for drying and heating sand.

The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for this purposewherein the heat in the drying-chamber can be regulated as desired,whereby the passing of the material through the chamber can be regulatedso as to dry and heat the same to just the desired degree and nofurther, and which is so constructed that the metal parts thereof cannotreadily burn out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isaverticalsectionthroughmyapparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar section on theline 2 2, Fig. l, the front plates or ledges being omitted. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a top planView.

My drier and heater is of a type wherein the material is fed in at thetop and passes down through the heating-chamber in a zigzag course andis removed at the bottom.

The heating-chamber 1 is preferably of rectangular form, inclosed by themasonry walls 2, and is provided with the top 3, through which projectsthe stack 4;. In this chamber are a series of inclined plates or ledgesarranged one above the other and in consecutive oppositely-inclinedpositions, over which the sand or other material slides in successionfrom one to the other until it reaches the bottom. I have shown ninesuch plates or ledges; but either a lesser or a greater number may beemployed, as necessary or desired. Several of the lowermost plates orledges, such as the three ledges 5, are stationary, being built of brickor other refractory material and preferably in arch shape, as shown inFig. 2. An arched angle-piece 6 is preferably used to support the inneror lower ends of these ledges. Beneath the lowermost ledges 5 is aninclined plate or ledge 7, also preferably formed of brick and leadingto the exitorifice 8, through which the sand or other material isdischarged from the drier. This opening 8 is closed by means of asuitable door or valve 9, preferably hinged, as shown, so as toautomatically open when a sufficient weight of sand has accumulated onthe ledge 7. While I have shown the three lowermost ledges or platesformed of brick or the like, I wish it understood that I am not limitedto this exact number, as either more or less than three of said ledgesmay be so formed, if desired. The uppermost ledges or plates, such asthe upper six shown in the drawings, are formed as metal plates 10,which are hinged at theirouter edges to suitable supports, such as thehooks 11, embedded in or secured to the walls of the chamber. Theseplates 10 are preferably formed of cast metal and may be ribbedunderneath, so as to stiflen the same, and they are arranged in thereversely-inclined positions, as shown, and so that the inclination ofsaid plates increases toward the top-that is, the uppermost plates havea greater pitch than the lowermost ones. The plates on either side areconnected together by any suitable means, such as the chains 12, whichpass up through the roof 3 and over sheaves or pulleys 13' and thencedown at the side of the furnace, and are provided at their lower endswith a loop or handle 14.

These chains are adapted to have their links hooked over a stud 15 or tobe otherwise secured in various positions so as to hold the plates 10 atany desired inclination. As shown, the chains from the-two sides of thefurnace are united and pass down as a single chain, so that all of theplates can be simultaneously adjusted. By this means the plates 10 canbe set at any desired angle; but the arrangement is such that theuppermost plates will have a greater inclination than the lower- IOOless. The adj ustment of the uppermost plates adapts the apparatus tomaterials of difierent moistures or different consistency. For instance,if sand is very wet or if clay or the like should be mixed therewith itis liable to stick to the plates u nless they are quite steep.

In such cases the inclination of the plates would be increased until thematerial passes over them at the desired rate.

Suitable stops 16 are provided, so that should the chains 12 break theplates 10 could not fall out of operative position. These stops will beso placed as to permit the greatest inclination-say forty-five degreesofthe plates 10 that will be necessary for any material however wet orsticky.

The material is fed to the furnace by being deposited in a hopper 18 inanysuitable way, as by a bucket conveyor, from which it passes downthrough the feeding-orifice 19 in the rear wall of the furnace and ontothe topmost plate 10. A gate or valve 20 is preferably provided forclosing this feeding-opening and may be used to regulate the amount ofmaterial that can pass therethrough.

Heat may be supplied to the chamber 1 from any suitable source, and forthis purpose I have shown an ordinary furnace 21, although, if desired,the waste heat from a boiler or other furnace may be employed. The flameand heat from this furnace pass through the flue 22 into the bottom ofthe heating-chamber 1, and as the lowermost plates or ledges 5 areformed of brick or other refractory material they cannot be burned outby the intense heat which necessarily is found in the bbttom of thechamber 1. In order to properly distribute the heat through theheating-chamber, I provide at the rear of the furnace anupwardly-extending flue 23 and connect the same at one or more pointswith the heating-chamber by means of suitable ports, two such ports 24and 25 being shown, although, if desired, either one or more than twomight be provided. These ports 24 and 25 are controlled by suitabledampers, such as the butterfly-valves 26 and 27. The flue 22 iscontrolled by means of a suitable damper, and as the heat at this pointis very great I have shown a damper composed of a cast-metal plate 28,preferably formed with side flanges and covered with fire brick or clay29 or asbestos 30, or both, so as to protect it from the heat. Thisplate is hinged to a plate 31, embedded in the masonry 32, so as to beprotected from-the heat, and is of such length that its free end willabut against the bridge-wall 33. Various means may be used for raisingthis damper to close the line 22; but I preferably employ a cam-arm orcam-arms 34, which project upwardly through slots in the masonry 32 andplate 31 and against the plate 28. These camarms are secured to arock-shaft 35, suitably journaled in the masonry 32 and provided at itsouter end with an arm or lever 36 for rocking the same. to be held inany of its adjusted positions by any suitable means, such as the notchedsegment 37.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from theforegoing description and is as follows: The sand or other material tobe dried or heated is introduced into the hopper 18, from which itpasses through the opening 19 onto the topmost plate 10. This plate hasthe greatest pitch of any of the plates,and the material slides downsaid plate, absorbing heat and slowly drying in its passage, and slidesoff said plate onto the next lower plate, down which it slides in thesame way, and so on down through the entire heating-chamber until itfinally falls upon the ledge '7, by which it is directed out of thefurnace-chamber through the opening 8. The various plates or ledgesgradually decrease The arm or lever 36 is adapted in pitch toward thebottom of the furnace, so

that as the sand becomes drier and drier its speed will not become toogreat to prevent it from absorbing the desired amount of heat to driveout all the moisture contained therein. Should the material be sticky orvery wet, so that it will not slide readily, the inclination of theplates 10 will be increased by means of the chains 12, as described,and, on the other hand, if the material moves too rapidly theinclination of these plates will be decreased by the same means. In thismanner the passage of the material through the furnace can be nicelyregulated, so as to permit the material to remain in the furnace justthe desired length of time to thoroughly dry or heat the same. The heatwill ordinarily be introduced at the bottom of the heatingchamberthrough the flue 22; but in case this should give too much heat at thebottom of the furnace, thereby tending to burn the sand or othermaterial, the damper 28 will be partly closed and part of the heatdiverted through the port 24 or the port 25, or both, as desired, thusrelieving the bottom of the heatingchamber of the excessive heat andproperly distributing it throughout the chamber. In this way also theplates or ledges at the bottom of the furnace will be prevented fromburning out; but as the heat is always greater at the bottom thanfarther up I prefer to make the lowermost plates or ledges of brick orsimilar material.

It will be understood that the chains 12 and means for changing theinclination of the plates 10 can be replaced by other means, and, ifdesired, a separate means for each plate might be employed for changingthe inclination thereof, so that each plate would be independentlyadjusted.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a series of plates or ledges in said chamber andarranged one above the other and in consecutive oppositely-inclinedpositions, one or more of the lower ones of said plates or ledges beingstationary and the upper ones being pivoted, and means for varying theinclinations of the pivoted plates.

2. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a series of plates or ledges in said chamberarranged one above the other and in consecutive oppositely-inclinedpositions, one or more of the lowermost of said ledges being formed ofbrick or tile and the upper ones being pivoted, and means for varyingthe inclinations of the pivoted plates.

3. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a series of plates or ledges pivotally mounted insaid chamber and arranged one above the other and in consecutiveoppositely-inclined positions, means for varying the inclinations ofsaid plates, and means for introducing heat into said chamber atdifferent points along the height thereof.

4. In heating ordrying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of two series of plates pivotally mounted in saidchamber and arranged one above the other and in consecutiveoppositely-inclined positions, the plates of each series being ofgraduated inclinations the greater at the top and decreasing downwardly,means for varying the inclinations of said plates, a source of heat,flnes therefrom leading into the chamber at different heights, anddampers in said fines.

5. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a series of plates or ledges in said chamberarranged one above the other and in consecutive oppositely-inclinedpositions, one or more of the lowermost ledges being formed of brick ortile, a source of heat, fines therefrom leading into the heating-chamberat different heights, and dampers in said fines.

6. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a series of plates or ledges in said chamberarranged one above the other and in consecutive oppositely-inclinedpositions, one or more of the lower ones of said ledges being formed ofbrick or tile and the upper ones of said plates being pivoted, means forvarying the inclinations of the pivoted plates, a source of heat, finestherefrom leading into the chamber at different heights, and dampers insaid fines.

7. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a source of heat, a horizontal fine therefromleading to the heating-chamber, a damper in said flue, said dampercomprising a metal plate hinged to the lower Wall of the flue andadapted to lie on said wall, fire-resisting material covering theexposed side of said plate, and cam-fingers located in recesses in themasonry of said wall and adapted to bear against the lower face of saidplate and raise the free end thereof.

8. In heating or drying apparatus, the combination with aheating-chamber, of a source of heat, a horizontal fine therefromleading to the heating-chamber, a damper in said fine, said dampercomprising a metal plate hinged to the lower wall of the fine andprojecting away from the source of heat, fire-brick covering the exposedface of said plate, and means for raising and lowering the free end ofsaid plate.

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM C. MOELHENY, have hereunto setmy hand.

WILLIAM C. MOELHENY.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, F. W. WINTER.

